The Digital and Data team has recently been revamped. We are creating a high performing team that can provide excellent support to the complex multi functions of the WMCA. Our key aim is to deliver a robust, high-quality customer-focused Digital and Data function to our stakeholders. This is an exciting opportunity to join us at a time when we’re modernising our ways of working and delivering significant advancements in our digital services – and your expertise will help develop and shape our future vision and implement cutting edge technologies.

This role will undertake interaction design to deliver the best possible experience for internal and external users. You will work closely with a user researcher – helping to excel in creating evidence-based design. You will help to embed good design practice and foster a collaborative, healthy and creative environment.

You will advocate for users and ensure the digital product meets accessibility regulations. You will also be the point of contact for stakeholders – asking the difficult questions to make things better.

You will utilise design tools and methods, looking at the end-to-end and front-to-back of services – helping to transform areas of the organisation by reconnecting them with their users.

This is a fixed-term contract until July 2022.

What will you be doing?

• Design a user-centred, end-to-end journey of a service
• Support direct reports with day-to-day tasks and priorities, providing advice and direction while monitoring progress to ensure timely and high-quality delivery
• Represent the Design Manager at meetings/events and deputising for them on specific matters
• Engage with stakeholders and departments within the organisation to ensuring end-to-end, front-to-back discovery
• Hold regular performance meetings with direct reports
• Ensure services comply with public sector organisation accessibility regulations
• Promote and embed a user-centred design culture within the organisation

About you

You will have a relevant degree or professional qualification in graphic, interaction, or user-centred design or equivalent work experience.

We’re interested in people who have experience in:

• Agile methodologies including the GDS framework (Discovery, Alpha, Beta and Live)
• Communicating ideas and services to stakeholders
• Making evidence-based decisions, which allow for innovation
• Organisational design culture and processes
• Presenting prototypes to stakeholders and developers
• User experience (UX) design process to create user-centred services
• Using design systems to document UI styles and components
• Prototyping tools including Figma

About us

Our role in the West Midlands has never been more important and in these extraordinary times we’ve shown we can step forward, speak up for our region and bring people together. Everything we do is focused on making life better for people in the West Midlands – that’s our reason for being here and it drives every move we make. We lead and support others to deliver our shared future vision for the region – a happier, healthier, better connected place to live and work.

We fully believe that we are only as great as the people who work for us and are committed to providing a positive, healthy and inclusive working environment where our people feel valued and respected. We’re ambitious, forward thinking and determined to find better ways of working, always leading the way in what we do. We trust and support each other to get the job done, and encourage creativity, originality and curiosity from those who work with us.

We are a “Leaders in Diversity” accredited organisation, are in the Inclusive Top 50 Employers List and are one of The Times Top 50 Employers for Women. As a Disability Confident Employer, we have made a positive commitment to interviewing all applicants with a disability who meet the essential role criteria. We are committed to building a team of people with varied backgrounds and experiences as we recognise that this will only benefit us as an employer, the more inclusive we are the better our work will be, and welcome applications from young people, Black, Asian and ethnic minority groups and women at senior levels.

We’re dedicated to providing a broad range of rewards and benefits and constantly benchmark our benefits packages to ensure they are attractive for all our people. As well as a competitive salary, employees also receive 27 days annual leave (plus public holidays) and access to a great pension scheme.

Furthermore, wherever possible we will offer flexible working options which assist work-life balance. We are very happy to discuss a flexible working pattern that suits your needs, so please do not let that be a barrier to applying. If your values align with ours and you’re committed to working towards creating a future we can all be proud of, we want to hear from you.

About your application

The online Application Form you'll be asked to complete plays a key part in our recruitment and selection process. We use the information you provide to decide whether to invite you for an interview. It is important that you complete the Application Form as fully and accurately as possible. You will be asked to upload a Supporting Statement (not a CV) and this should include specific examples which demonstrate how you meet the essential criteria for the role for which you are applying. 

If you would like to discuss alternative methods to the online application as a reasonable adjustment please contact the Resourcing Team by email (careers@wmca.org.uk).

Supporting documents
Senior Designer - Role Profile Nov 21.docx